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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, April 17, 2013 | 6 Editorial Get in the spirit and fight back It's a team event and it happens rain, shine and, perhaps with this year's weather, hail and snow. But it will only be successful if communities continue to support one of the Canadian Cancer Society's most signi cant fundraisers. The society's Relay for Life depends on dedicated individuals who don't mind giving up a night to celebrate -- together -- those who have beaten cancer and folks who are doing their utmost to conquer the disease. It is also a time of re ection -- remembering the people who did not make it. Last year some 32,000 volunteers, 17,000 team captains and 171,000 participants signed up for relays across the country. The relays raised $51 million. The money is used to fund, among other things, research and support services for people living with cancer. Oakville, Burlington and Milton hold successful relays, but the cancer society knows the importance of keeping signature fundraisers innovative and uplifting. In addition to encouraging relay teams to participate, holding a special survivors' lap and lighting luminaries, the society is also recognizing the importance of its volunteer drivers. This year, the drivers -- often survivors themselves -- will take to the track and receive the applause they so richly deserve. If you have not participated in a Relay for Life, now is a great time to start. Often teams are walking in honour of a family member, colleague or friend. The event takes on a carnival feel with team members dressing in outrageous costumes and decorating their tents using highly imaginative props. If you think this is a competitive relay, think again. It's all about fun, sharing good times and feeling a sense of pride for a job well done. It's also about tackling a dreadful disease that affects every single one of us in some capacity. "Relay for Life symbolizes and honours a cancer patient's journey. For the thousands of Canadians ghting cancer right now, their journey is long and hard. From the shock of initial diagnosis, through days of treatment and the long nights that follow for them, cancer never sleeps, so neither do we," said Lisa Dale, fundraising co-ordinator for the Canadian Cancer Society Halton unit. Oakville's relay, held at Appleby College on Lakeshore Road, is set for May 31. This year's event will start at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 31 and wraps up on Saturday, June 1 at 7 a.m. If you haven't already pulled a team together, it's not too late. Call 905-845-5231 or visit www. relayforlife.ca/Oakville. You will never forget this special night. "Connected to your Community" 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Fax: (905) 337-5566 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 51 | Number 39 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Letters to the Editor Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Dinner Party raises $25,000 -- thank you The Women of Halton Action Movement (WHAM) and the Zonta Club of Oakville are so very grateful for the community support we received for our 10th annual International Women's Day Dinner Party celebration and fundraiser held recently. We congratulate our major advertisers and sponsors, who demonstrated community leadership by supporting our fundraising efforts for the Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services (SAVIS) of Halton and for Canadians in Support of Afghan Women (CSAW). Many of these community supporters return year after year to inspire other corporate citizens to "step up to the plate." And because of them, the evening was a resounding success. We sold more than 500 tickets and raised more than $25,000 for SAVIS and CSAW. Without the support of these fabulous advertisers and sponsors, we could never have raised that kind of money and still keep our tickets at $50. The list of supporters is impressive and varied: Cart Wheels International Inc.; Chez Louise Hair Studio; the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario Halton Local; the Institute for Hormonal Health; the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation District 20; the Jalco Group; The Vitamin Store; Strategic Horizons; Danier Leather; Maggie Hall of the Mediation Centre; Lelio de Cicco of ScotiaMcLeod and Speers Road Broadloom. The real estate community was a big part of our success this year, thanks to Cheryl Kopko and Mary O'Brien of Century 21; Re/ Max Aboutowne; and Claudia Chopik of the ReMax Invidiata Team. Not to be outdone was our fabulous legal community including Joelle Adelson (who also emceed the event); Joanna Ringrose; Lydia Moritz, Karen Thompson, Susan Berry, and Lisa Bombardieri; Mary Anne Kril, Diane Daly and Snelius Redfearn. And last, but not least, Terence Young, our MP and of course, the Zonta Club of Oakville. Bravo. We can't wait for the 11th annual dinner party next year. Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: ATHENA Award Diane Daly, Women of Halton Action Movement (WHAM) and Zonta Club of Oakville The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.